Tribune Business Weekly
Connecting not just a pastime for the young
SOUTH BEND -- With people spending literally billions of minutes on social networking sites such as Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn, small business owners can make thousands of connections.
But getting them to realize it might be the trick.
“In challenging times, you have to think outside the box,” said Jan Fye, regional director of the South Bend Small Business Development Center (SBDC). “Using social media to do so is one example. Plus, you have to go where your customers are, and they are using social media, so businesses have to reach out to them in those sorts of vehicles.”
To help local business owners see the value of social networking for business, the Small Business Development Center recently sponsored a workshop called “Sales 2.0: Transform Your Sales Force.”
The workshop is the second in a series of stand-alone seminars called “Doing Business in the Digital Age” that are being presented quarterly by the South Bend SBDC throughout 2009, Fye explained.
Social networking sites are less about selling products and more about starting relationships and connecting with others, said Don Schindler, senior digital strategist for a Carmel, Ind.-based company called MediaSauce.
Schindler, whose presentation at the workshop was called “Social Media for Business,” said it used to be that to network, business owners simply passed along their business cards. But younger generations that grew up on social networking bring thousands of connections to their jobs and employers need to understand how to tap that.
“It's all about the connections,” Schindler said.
Dean Voelker, an independent financial adviser in South Bend, agreed. He doesn't have to be convinced that social networking sites are valuable.
“Especially during these economic times, it helps me attract new clients,” Voelker said. “Companies really do need to use technology as a means to reach out to new clients.”
For Voelker, social networking helps him keep his name “out there” and maintain awareness that he's available. As time goes on, he said, the Internet will become a more and more important means by which people run their lives, and it's important to be connected to others online.
Schindler said that he anticipates that by the time his children are in college in the next several years, young generations will be “co-dependent” on the Internet. These younger generations also tend to have hundreds and even thousands of connections on social networking sites.
Because the strongest way to get one's message out is through word-of-mouth, Schindler said, social networking is turning into a much more powerful tool than ever before. People don't have to listen to the loudest advertiser in the room anymore and can choose not to listen to commercials or see print advertisements because of technology. That's why word-of-mouth and social networking are becoming so important, he explained, warning that you should not “push” your product on social networking sites.
“You're out there to be a friend, not to push your business,” he said.
He suggested that by promoting others, they will promote you, which is why relationships are so much more important now than ever before.
“Become a valuable member of social networking,” he advised.
Rebecca Maalouf, owner of Camellia Cosmetics in Granger, said word-of-mouth endorsements are what has made her company so successful, which is why it is important to her to continue that trend online by social networking.
She said she intends to start a blog that will allow people to review cosmetic products online for a local audience.
“It gives the products you sell credibility, and it makes you more connected to your clients,” Maalouf said.
The SBDC will sponsor two more “Business in the Digital Age” seminars this year. The third-quarter topic is “Social Media: Engaging and Empowering Your Customers” and the fourth-quarter topic is titled “Think Big: Internet Case Studies of Successful Business.” For more information, contact Jan Fye at the South Bend SBDC at (574) 282-4350, ext. 0.
Connecting not just a pastime for the young
SOUTH BEND -- With people spending literally billions of minutes on social networking sites such as Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn, small business owners can make thousands of connections.
But getting them to realize it might be the trick.
“In challenging times, you have to think outside the box,” said Jan Fye, regional director of the South Bend Small Business Development Center (SBDC). “Using social media to do so is one example. Plus, you have to go where your customers are, and they are using social media, so businesses have to reach out to them in those sorts of vehicles.”
To help local business owners see the value of social networking for business, the Small Business Development Center recently sponsored a workshop called “Sales 2.0: Transform Your Sales Force.”
The workshop is the second in a series of stand-alone seminars called “Doing Business in the Digital Age” that are being presented quarterly by the South Bend SBDC throughout 2009, Fye explained.
Social networking sites are less about selling products and more about starting relationships and connecting with others, said Don Schindler, senior digital strategist for a Carmel, Ind.-based company called MediaSauce.
Schindler, whose presentation at the workshop was called “Social Media for Business,” said it used to be that to network, business owners simply passed along their business cards. But younger generations that grew up on social networking bring thousands of connections to their jobs and employers need to understand how to tap that.
“It's all about the connections,” Schindler said.
Dean Voelker, an independent financial adviser in South Bend, agreed. He doesn't have to be convinced that social networking sites are valuable.
“Especially during these economic times, it helps me attract new clients,” Voelker said. “Companies really do need to use technology as a means to reach out to new clients.”
For Voelker, social networking helps him keep his name “out there” and maintain awareness that he's available. As time goes on, he said, the Internet will become a more and more important means by which people run their lives, and it's important to be connected to others online.
Schindler said that he anticipates that by the time his children are in college in the next several years, young generations will be “co-dependent” on the Internet. These younger generations also tend to have hundreds and even thousands of connections on social networking sites.
Because the strongest way to get one's message out is through word-of-mouth, Schindler said, social networking is turning into a much more powerful tool than ever before. People don't have to listen to the loudest advertiser in the room anymore and can choose not to listen to commercials or see print advertisements because of technology. That's why word-of-mouth and social networking are becoming so important, he explained, warning that you should not “push” your product on social networking sites.
“You're out there to be a friend, not to push your business,” he said.
He suggested that by promoting others, they will promote you, which is why relationships are so much more important now than ever before.
“Become a valuable member of social networking,” he advised.
Rebecca Maalouf, owner of Camellia Cosmetics in Granger, said word-of-mouth endorsements are what has made her company so successful, which is why it is important to her to continue that trend online by social networking.
She said she intends to start a blog that will allow people to review cosmetic products online for a local audience.
“It gives the products you sell credibility, and it makes you more connected to your clients,” Maalouf said.
The SBDC will sponsor two more “Business in the Digital Age” seminars this year. The third-quarter topic is “Social Media: Engaging and Empowering Your Customers” and the fourth-quarter topic is titled “Think Big: Internet Case Studies of Successful Business.” For more information, contact Jan Fye at the South Bend SBDC at (574) 282-4350, ext. 0.
